The endless noise of politics to the south of us is hard to wade through for many people in Canada. It’s always an afterthought to check the CBC and focus on what’s going on at home. Even then we find that it is disengaging at best and only an echo of the more important developments around the world. Our country has been getting more attention lately, held up as a bastion of hope in an otherwise depressing time. If you take a good look at why more Canada is so important to the world, it becomes rather superficial. Without much effort, it’s easy to see that we have all the same problems that are typical of other less reputable countries. We’ve just been better at hiding it from the outside world and our culture revolves around repressing our true feeling towards one another.
A Senator that doesn’t know who is Canadian
Take the latest news story about Senator Lynn Beyak as case and point. At the beginning of this month the Senator wrote an open letter to all Canadians and published it on her official website. Her letter outlined the conclusions she had come to after spending the summer reaching out to First Nations groups and engaging their communities. This had been precipitated by recent incidents were she had been criticized for expressing support for the now denounced residential school system that sought to forcibly integrate First Nation children into Canadian culture.
The most noteworthy portion of Senator Beyak’s open letter encouraged that First Nations people, “Trade your status card[s] for a Canadian citizenship.” Even if you ignore that First Nations people are Canadian from birth, there are other glaring issues with this position. There are currently dozens of indigenous communities under boil-water advisory, some of which have endured these conditions for years. Indigenous women across the country are subject to more violence than any other demographic in every age group. Education on reserves yield some of the poorest outcomes for students and often better schools are too far away to be viable. How about we start by treating First Nations people like Canadians before we expect them to give up anything.
It may not come as a surprise that Beyak was nominated to the Senate by Stephen Harper. The Prime Minister that offered a full apology for the residential school system back in 2008 had this apologist appointed to the Senate in 2013. The CPC, Harper’s party, now has a new leader named Andrew Scheer. He has responded to calls for Senator Beyak’s expulsion from his caucus by reiterating his desire to lead a party of inclusion. Scheer emphasized that if Beyak didn’t agree with his vision for the party then, “they have a choice to make.” Insinuating that Beyak should quit. The funny part about that is if you think about who had the choice of her being a Senator for the province of Ontario in the first place.
Senators in Canada are not elected. The people of Ontario had no say in whether they wanted to be represented by a former BMW dealership owner. It can’t be argued that Lynn Beyak needs to defend her long resume of public service. That does not change the fact that no electorate ever confirmed her. Harper nominated her and our Governor General, David Johnston, also serving on the PM’s advice, appointed her to the chamber. Not exactly a shining example of democracy in action. Luckily we no longer have to deal with the Conservative Party in government. Surely everything is better now.
Putting a pretty face on the lies.
Our new PM, whom the whole world knows simply as Justin, was elected to a majority government by a democratic over-correction that was precision focused on ousting the Harper Government. Justin ran on a platform that included electoral reform in the wake of the Duffy Scandal. Duffy was a Senator that claimed living expenses in excess of Senate rules and the ensuing scandal ensnared members of Harper’s inner circle in the Prime Minister’s Office, the PMO. Justin Trudeau has since reneged on his promise to overhaul our electoral process and in doing so has too missed an opportunity for democratizing the Senate. Which might have one day given the people of Canada a say in all of our legislative representatives.
Recently, Justin used his time at the United Nations General Assembly to speak out about some of the historic injustices that have been inflicted upon indigenous peoples by the Canadian State. Empty words from a government that has yet to make progress on its promise to end the boil-water advisories on reserves by 2020. His government is also preparing to force a pipeline to carry bitumen from Alberta to the Pacific Coast in the face of First Nations opposition. Justin should focus on the injustices that he is perpetuating today.
While our politics may not be as flashy or important compared to our southern neighbours, we cannot change what they do down there. Canadians vote in Canada and our votes shape the politics of this country, no other. If you are from the United States, pay us little mind. Focus on fixing your problems. No matter what, never idealize Canada. The myth of Canada is dangerous in that it is a lie.
The Canada that we aspire to be is a good thing and other countries should have their own similar aspirations. Thinking that our idealized Canada already exists is very dangerous both globally and inside our borders. It leads to a complacent type if ignorance that breeds backwards opinions like that of Senator Beyak and gives license to governments to pretend like the problem is historical. Please think twice about whether the world really needs more Canada. The world we should really be striving for is still waiting for us to imagine it.
To act now against Senator Beyak, you might want to add your name to this leadnow.ca campaign.
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Words by: Bryan Jacobs | Photography by: Michael Caswell